Building a new workshop / lab

[Monkeh]

If you must (or your needs don't demand a better box) use a Linksys, Netgear, etc, consider dd-wrt as an alternative to the stock firmware - it gives your gear a nice little breath of life.

Only briefly. DD falls over pretty quick, it's pretty ancient code.

[StubbornGreek]

If you must (or your needs don't demand a better box) use a Linksys, Netgear, etc, consider dd-wrt as an alternative to the stock firmware - it gives your gear a nice little breath of life.

Only briefly. DD falls over pretty quick, it's pretty ancient code.

Still leaps better than what's installed at the factory.

Again, if you need better, then pfSense... 

[Monkeh]

If you must (or your needs don't demand a better box) use a Linksys, Netgear, etc, consider dd-wrt as an alternative to the stock firmware - it gives your gear a nice little breath of life.

Only briefly. DD falls over pretty quick, it's pretty ancient code.

Still leaps better than what's installed at the factory.

Never seen the factory code overflow the NVRAM.

[StubbornGreek]

If you must (or your needs don't demand a better box) use a Linksys, Netgear, etc, consider dd-wrt as an alternative to the stock firmware - it gives your gear a nice little breath of life.

Only briefly. DD falls over pretty quick, it's pretty ancient code.

Still leaps better than what's installed at the factory.

Never seen the factory code overflow the NVRAM.

Interesting, has this been a problem for you? I've never run across it.

[Monkeh]

Interesting, has this been a problem for you? I've never run across it.

Not since I stopped using it!

[Kibi]

Right, tea break is over, time to get back to work.

So, today I used this:-



To make this:-



Which is needed to accommodate this:-



The above is a Vent-Axia heat recovery ventilator. With no windows and the door likely to be shut tight throughout the winter months, ventilation is required. Vent-Axia claim an efficiency of 87% heat recovery on this unit. This is a 24V model with two speeds. High speed kicks in when the built-in humidity sensor detects an excess of 60% humidity. De-humidification is a by-product of it's heat recovery process.

Here I am in the process of wiring up the electrical outlets. There are 11 double outlets around the perimeter of the workshop. You can never have too many outlets and I have never quite figured out the point of single outlets. They are all wired back to the board in a ring main configuration via a 16A, 30mA RCBO. Plenty of power.



The board is looking a lot better now. I have a light switch on the right and on the left is the SMPS for the ventilator.



The worktops are now even more of a mess, but this because I have had to sweep and clean the floor in preparation for the next stage.



Some of you may notice that the ventilator is mounted at a bit of an angle, this is to allow the condensate to run outside of the building for obvious reasons.
I shall return with progress of the next stage sooner rather than later. We have been taking advantage of the good weather lately and have lit multiple fires on which to cook meat

[Monkeh]

Core drills are always fun.

Until you hit a wall tie.

[Kibi]

Oh, this one was fun alright.
I couldn't use it in the SDS because it's minimum RPM is too high, so I used it in my 24V Bosch. It ate the battery quick and then the charger refused to charge until an hour later when the battery had cooled down. Then, naturally, it was another 10 second blat on the drill and I was through.
It is rather a large core drill though.

[Monkeh]

Oh, this one was fun alright.
I couldn't use it in the SDS because it's minimum RPM is too high, so I used it in my 24V Bosch. It ate the battery quick and then the charger refused to charge until an hour later when the battery had cooled down. Then, naturally, it was another 10 second blat on the drill and I was through.
It is rather a large core drill though.

Yeah, I did a 162.

Hired the drill to go with it, they're worth it.

[IanB]

With a hole that big, why wouldn't you just mark a circle on the wall and use a keyhole saw?

[Monkeh]

With a hole that big, why wouldn't you just mark a circle on the wall and use a keyhole saw?

.. Dude, that's concrete block.

[Monkeh]

They are all wired back to the board in a ring main configuration via a 16A, 30mA RCBO. Plenty of power.

What's the point of a 16A ring? And it's a ring final, a ring main is a very different thing.

[SeanB]

Because the wall is not US cardboard and plasterboard, but concrete blocks. You need the diamond bits to go through, though I do not have that size, just a more brutal thick wall core bit collection, 35 and 65mm, which are used with the SDS drill a lot to go through brick dry. Those thin wall diamond cores are great though, if rather pricey. I normally call Churchills in to do those big holes, they can destroy their bits instead, but the core bits have no problem cutting through rebar, only thing that tore it to shreds was a loose stone half way through the floor that caught the bit. 600mm was too deep for any of the bits I have, and renting a drill was the same cost as hiring a hole.

[Kibi]

I had thought about drilling a circle of smaller holes and then knock the waste out, but I then thought no, not this time.  A perfectly round, accurately sized hole will ensure a good seal for the unit. Even though it's a large hole, there really isn't much margin for error on this one.

[Kibi]

What's the point of a 16A ring? And it's a ring final, a ring main is a very different thing.

Sure, it's not necessary to wire a ring on a 16A circuit with 2.5mm conductors, but the first and final outlets are so close to the board, why not.
Also, if I decide to, I can split the ring into two radials, adding another breaker to the board and removing a link in the ring.

[Monkeh]

What's the point of a 16A ring? And it's a ring final, a ring main is a very different thing.

Sure, it's not necessary to wire a ring on a 16A circuit with 2.5mm conductors, but the first and final outlets are so close to the board, why not.

Well, for starters it contravenes BS7671.

[Kibi]

Well, for starters it contravenes BS7671.

Mmm, I can run two radials from the one 16A breaker though. That's easy to modify.

Now on to todays work. I didn't get as much done as I would have liked because I was instructed to install a curtain rail and some blinds. 

I've put down 6mm sheets of XPS insulation.



Then the underfloor heating mat has been rolled out on top. There is 5 metres of mat with an output of 700W.



That's all for today, hopefully I'll get the flooring down tomorrow.

[Monkeh]

Well, for starters it contravenes BS7671.

Mmm, I can run two radials from the one 16A breaker though. That's easy to modify.

I'd just run two circuits. Alternate the sockets with them and mark them. One for nice, clean, stable, reliable stuff (PC, scopes, proper bench PSUs, etc), another for the messy, annoying crap (stuff you're working on, repairing, fans, additional lights, etc). Saves a bit of noise, stops things you're using turning off when something buggered trips the RCBO.

Now on to todays work. I didn't get as much done as I would have liked because I was instructed to install a curtain rail and some blinds. 

Ahh, SWMBO..

[Kibi]

Over the last couple of days I have managed to complete the flooring. That was a bit of a nuisance because I finished all the packs of flooring and needed one more board to complete the job.  Luckily my local Wickes had a smashed up pack in stock for £3.
I have then knocked together some shelving from yet more ruined furniture boards. It was lucky that my Bosch blade finally arrived - ebay  . I bought a cheap blade in the meantime which managed to do one cut and then on the second cut sparks started flying off of it!!! That blade is now resting nicely in the bin. The Bosch blade made a nice job of the worktops which have also been completed.
Lastly, I have moved my little machines in and bolted them down. They are only babies, nothing like Robrenz' machines, but they get stuff done well enough for me.



I now have to get on with getting the data cabling run down.

[DavidDLC]

Over the last couple of days I have managed to complete the flooring. That was a bit of a nuisance because I finished all the packs of flooring and needed one more board to complete the job.  Luckily my local Wickes had a smashed up pack in stock for £3.
I have then knocked together some shelving from yet more ruined furniture boards. It was lucky that my Bosch blade finally arrived - ebay  . I bought a cheap blade in the meantime which managed to do one cut and then on the second cut sparks started flying off of it!!! That blade is now resting nicely in the bin. The Bosch blade made a nice job of the worktops which have also been completed.
Lastly, I have moved my little machines in and bolted them down. They are only babies, nothing like Robrenz' machines, but they get stuff done well enough for me.



I now have to get on with getting the data cabling run down.

What is the brand and model of your mini milling machine ? I got the exact same, but Harbor Freight brand but they discontinued it, I'm interested in case I need parts.

[M. András]

nicely done labspace btw cute little lathe i want one too +mill

[Kibi]

What is the brand and model of your mini milling machine ? I got the exact same, but Harbor Freight brand but they discontinued it, I'm interested in case I need parts.

Mine is a Clarke CMD10 which is distributed my Machine Mart here in the UK. It's based on the Sieg X1 milling machine which is, as you say, discontinued. It's been superseded by the X1L which has a tilting head and longer table. Apart from that, most of the parts look the same.. There are so many Sieg clones around these days, you shouldn't have a problem finding parts on ebay for instance.

[nctnico]

Regarding flooring. I've found very neat stuff: PVC laminate. You just stick it on the floor and the rugged stuff has a 0.5mm clear PU layer on top which is very resillient. I dropped molten solder on it and it doesn't leave any marks. Most shops try to charge you an arm and a leg because it is really good. It looks and feels like real wood and it is more durable than vinyl and wooden flooring. OTOH it is very cheap to manufacture so it can be found for a low price if you shop around a bit.

[Kibi]

Regarding flooring. I've found very neat stuff: PVC laminate. You just stick it on the floor and the rugged stuff has a 0.5mm clear PU layer on top which is very resillient. I dropped molten solder on it and it doesn't leave any marks. Most shops try to charge you an arm and a leg because it is really good. It looks and feels like real wood and it is more durable than vinyl and wooden flooring. OTOH it is very cheap to manufacture so it can be found for a low price if you shop around a bit.

That's good to know, I'll have to keep that in mind for other projects in the future. I was a bit limited to what flooring was compatible with the heating on this project.

[T4P]

I've seen odd milling machines even ones that can transform 
http://translate.google.com/translate?sl=en&tl=zh-CN&js=n&prev=_t&hl=en&ie=UTF-8&layout=2&eotf=1&u=http%3A%2F%2Fdetail.tmall.com%2Fitem.htm%3Fspm%3Da230r.1.10.12.753a65%26id%3D15049475393%26ad_id%3D%26am_id%3D%26cm_id%3D%26pm_id%3D&act=url